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Zambie AD, Ackerly KL, Negrete B, Esbaugh AJ. Warming-induced "plastic floors" improve hypoxia vulnerability, not aerobic scope, in red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 922:171057. [PMID: 38378061 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Ocean warming is a prevailing threat to marine ectotherms. Recently the "plastic floors, concrete ceilings" hypothesis was proposed, which suggests that a warmed fish will acclimate to higher temperatures by reducing standard metabolic rate (SMR) while keeping maximum metabolic rate (MMR) stable, therefore improving aerobic scope (AS). Here we evaluated this hypothesis on red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) while incorporating measures of hypoxia vulnerability (critical oxygen threshold; Pcrit) and mitochondrial performance. Fish were subjected to a 12-week acclimation to 20 °C or 28 °C. Respirometry was performed every 4 weeks to obtain metabolic rate and Pcrit; mitochondrial respirometry was performed on liver and heart samples at the end of the acclimation. 28 °C fish had a significantly higher SMR, MMR, and Pcrit than 20 °C controls at time 0, but SMR declined by 36.2 % over the 12-week acclimation. No change in SMR was observed in the control treatment. Contrary to expectations, SMR suppression did not improve AS relative to time 0 owing to a progressive decline in MMR over acclimation time. Pcrit decreased by 27.2 % in the warm-acclimated fishes, which resulted in temperature treatments having statistically similar values by 12-weeks. No differences in mitochondrial traits were observed in the heart - despite a Δ8 °C assay temperature - while liver respiratory and coupling control ratios were significantly improved, suggesting that mitochondrial plasticity may contribute to the reduced SMR with warming. Overall, this work suggests that warming induced metabolic suppression offsets the deleterious consequences of high oxygen demand on hypoxia vulnerability, and in so doing greatly expands the theoretical range of metabolically available habitats for red drum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam D Zambie
- Department of Marine Science, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, TX 78373, United States; Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, United States
| | - Kerri Lynn Ackerly
- Department of Marine Science, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, TX 78373, United States
| | - Benjamin Negrete
- Department of Marine Science, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, TX 78373, United States; Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Andrew J Esbaugh
- Department of Marine Science, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, TX 78373, United States.
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2
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Crino OL, Head ML, Jennions MD, Noble DWA. Mitochondrial function and sexual selection: can physiology resolve the 'lek paradox'? J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb245569. [PMID: 38206324 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Across many taxa, males use elaborate ornaments or complex displays to attract potential mates. Such sexually selected traits are thought to signal important aspects of male 'quality'. Female mating preferences based on sexual traits are thought to have evolved because choosy females gain direct benefits that enhance their lifetime reproductive success (e.g. greater access to food) and/or indirect benefits because high-quality males contribute genes that increase offspring fitness. However, it is difficult to explain the persistence of female preferences when males only provide genetic benefits, because female preferences should erode the heritable genetic variation in fitness that sexually selected traits signal. This 'paradox of the lek' has puzzled evolutionary biologists for decades, and inspired many hypotheses to explain how heritable variation in sexually selected traits is maintained. Here, we discuss how factors that affect mitochondrial function can maintain variation in sexually selected traits despite strong female preferences. We discuss how mitochondrial function can influence the expression of sexually selected traits, and we describe empirical studies that link the expression of sexually selected traits to mitochondrial function. We explain how mothers can affect mitochondrial function in their offspring by (a) influencing their developmental environment through maternal effects and (b) choosing a mate to increase the compatibility of mitochondrial and nuclear genes (i.e. the 'mitonuclear compatibility model of sexual selection'). Finally, we discuss how incorporating mitochondrial function into models of sexual selection might help to resolve the paradox of the lek, and we suggest avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondi L Crino
- School of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Megan L Head
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Michael D Jennions
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
- Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), Wallenberg Centre, 10 Marais Street, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
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3
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Wolf SE, Shalev I. The shelterin protein expansion of telomere dynamics: Linking early life adversity, life history, and the hallmarks of aging. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105261. [PMID: 37268182 PMCID: PMC10527177 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Aging is characterized by functional decline occurring alongside changes to several hallmarks of aging. One of the hallmarks includes attrition of repeated DNA sequences found at the ends of chromosomes called telomeres. While telomere attrition is linked to morbidity and mortality, whether and how it causally contributes to lifelong rates of functional decline is unclear. In this review, we propose the shelterin-telomere hypothesis of life history, in which telomere-binding shelterin proteins translate telomere attrition into a range of physiological outcomes, the extent of which may be modulated by currently understudied variation in shelterin protein levels. Shelterin proteins may expand the breadth and timing of consequences of telomere attrition, e.g., by translating early life adversity into acceleration of the aging process. We consider how the pleiotropic roles of shelterin proteins provide novel insights into natural variation in physiology, life history, and lifespan. We highlight key open questions that encourage the integrative, organismal study of shelterin proteins that enhances our understanding of the contribution of the telomere system to aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Wolf
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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4
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Absence of mitochondrial responses in muscles of zebrafish exposed to several heat waves. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2022; 274:111299. [PMID: 36031060 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Heat waves are extreme thermal events whose frequency and intensity will increase with global warming. As metabolic responses to temperature are time-dependent, we explored the effects of an exposure to several heat waves on the mitochondrial metabolism of zebrafish Danio rerio. For this purpose, zebrafish were acclimated at 26 °C or 31 °C for 4 weeks and some fish acclimated at 26 °C underwent 2 types of heat waves: 2 periods of 5 days at 31 °C or 10 days at 31 °C. After this acclimation period, mitochondrial respiration of red muscle fibres was measured at 26 °C and 31 °C for each fish, with the phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and basal (LEAK) respirations obtained with activation of complex I, complex II or complexes I and II. The respiratory control ratio (RCR) and the mitochondrial aerobic scope (CAS) were also calculated at both temperatures after the activation of complexes I and II. Under our conditions, heat waves did not result in variations in any mitochondrial parameters, suggesting a high tolerance of zebrafish to environmental temperature fluctuations. However, an acute in vitro warming led to an increase in the LEAK respiration together with a higher temperature effect on complex II than complex I, inducing a decrease of mitochondrial efficiency to produce energy at high temperatures. Increased interindividual variability for some parameters at 26 °C or 31 °C also suggests that each individual has its own ability to cope with temperature fluctuations.
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5
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Dawson NJ, Millet C, Selman C, Metcalfe NB. Inter-individual variation in mitochondrial phosphorylation efficiency predicts growth rates in ectotherms at high temperatures. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22333. [PMID: 35486025 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202101806rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that aquatic ectotherms are especially vulnerable to global warming since their metabolic demands increase with ambient temperature while water-oxygen content decreases. The possible role of shrinking aerobic scope in limiting performance has been much discussed; however, less attention has been given to whether tissue-level changes in the efficiency of oxygen usage occur at elevated temperatures. Here, we show that this varies widely among individuals, with consequences for performance. We examined the inter-individual variation in growth rate and mitochondrial function from white muscle and liver of brown trout (Salmo trutta) acclimated to either high (19.5°C) or near-optimal temperature (12°C). Liver (but not muscle) mitochondria showed a positive relationship between growth rate and maximal oxidative phosphorylation at both temperatures, and a negative relationship between growth rate and ROS release. There was a positive correlation in both tissues between individual mitochondrial phosphorylation efficiency and growth rate, but only at 19.5°C. In this representative of aquatic ectotherms, an individual's liver mitochondrial efficiency thus seems to dictate its capacity to grow at elevated temperatures. This suggests that individual heterogeneity in cellular function may cause variation in the thermal limits of aquatic ectotherms and could adversely affect wild populations in warming environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal J Dawson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Caroline Millet
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Colin Selman
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Neil B Metcalfe
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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6
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Stier A, Monaghan P, Metcalfe NB. Experimental demonstration of prenatal programming of mitochondrial aerobic metabolism lasting until adulthood. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212679. [PMID: 35232239 PMCID: PMC8889197 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
It is increasingly being postulated that among-individual variation in mitochondrial function underlies variation in individual performance (e.g. growth rate) and state of health. It has been suggested (but not adequately tested) that environmental conditions experienced before birth could programme postnatal mitochondrial function, with persistent effects potentially lasting into adulthood. We tested this hypothesis in an avian model by experimentally manipulating prenatal conditions (incubation temperature and stability) and then measuring mitochondrial aerobic metabolism in blood cells from the same individuals during the middle of the growth period and at adulthood. Mitochondrial aerobic metabolism changed markedly across life stages, and parts of these age-related changes were influenced by the prenatal temperature conditions. A high incubation temperature induced a consistent and long-lasting increase in mitochondrial aerobic metabolism. Postnatal mitochondrial aerobic metabolism was positively associated with oxidative damage on DNA but not telomere length. While we detected significant within-individual consistency in mitochondrial aerobic metabolism across life stages, the prenatal temperature regime only accounted for a relatively small proportion (less than 20%) of the consistent among-individual differences we observed. Our results demonstrate that prenatal conditions can programme consistent and long-lasting differences in mitochondrial function, which could potentially underlie among-individual variation in performance and health state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Stier
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.,Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Neil B Metcalfe
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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7
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Treidel LA, Quintanilla Ramirez GS, Chung DJ, Menze MA, Vázquez-Medina JP, Williams CM. Selection on dispersal drives evolution of metabolic capacities for energy production in female wing-polymorphic sand field crickets, Gryllus firmus. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:599-609. [PMID: 35255175 PMCID: PMC9311679 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Life history and metabolism covary, but the mechanisms and individual traits responsible for these linkages remain unresolved. Dispersal capability is a critical component of life history that is constrained by metabolic capacities for energy production. Conflicting relationships between metabolism and life histories may be explained by accounting for variation in dispersal and maximal metabolic rates. We used female wing-polymorphic sand field crickets, Gryllus firmus, selected either for long wings (LW, flight-capable) or short wings (SW, flightless) to test the hypothesis that selection on dispersal capability drives the evolution of metabolic capacities. While resting metabolic rates were similar, long-winged crickets reached higher maximal metabolic rates than short-winged crickets, resulting in improved running performance. We further provided insight into the mechanisms responsible for covariation between life history and metabolism by comparing mitochondrial content of tissues involved in powering locomotion and assessing the function of mitochondria isolated from long- and short-winged crickets. Our results demonstrated that larger metabolic capacities in long-winged crickets were underpinned by increases in mitochondrial content of dorsoventral flight muscle and enhanced bioenergetic capacities of mitochondria within the fat body, a tissue responsible for fuel storage and mobilization. Thus, selection on flight capability correlates with increases in maximal, but not resting metabolic rates, through modifications of tissues powering locomotion at the cellular and organelle levels. This allows organisms to meet high energetic demands of activity for life history. Dispersal capability should therefore explicitly be considered as a potential factor driving the evolution of metabolic capacities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A Treidel
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | | | - Dillon J Chung
- National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael A Menze
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - José P Vázquez-Medina
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Caroline M Williams
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
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8
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Voituron Y, Roussel D, Teulier L, Vagner M, Ternon Q, Romestaing C, Dubillot E, Lefrancois C. Warm Acclimation Increases Mitochondrial Efficiency in Fish: A Compensatory Mechanism to Reduce the Demand for Oxygen. Physiol Biochem Zool 2021; 95:15-21. [PMID: 34813413 DOI: 10.1086/716904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIn ectotherms, it is well described that thermal acclimation induces compensatory adjustments maintaining mitochondrial functions across large shifts in temperature. However, until now, studies mostly focused on fluxes of oxygen without knowing whether mitochondrial efficiency to produce ATP (ATP/O ratio) is also dependent on temperature acclimation. We thus measured thermal reaction norms of oxidative phosphorylation activity and efficiency in isolated mitochondria from skeletal muscle of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) juveniles acclimated at optimal (22°C), low (18°C), and high (26°C) temperatures. The mitochondrial fluxes (oxygen consumption and ATP synthesis) increased with increasing assay temperatures and were on the whole higher in fishes acclimated at 18°C than in the other two groups. However, these mitochondrial rates were not significantly different between experimental groups when they were compared at the acclimation temperature. In contrast, we show that acclimation to high, and not low, temperature improved mitochondrial efficiency (on average >15%). This higher efficiency in high-temperature-acclimated fishes is also apparent when compared at respective acclimation temperatures. This mitochondrial phenotype would favor an economical management of oxygen in response to harsh energetic constraints associated with warming water.
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9
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Malkoc K, Casagrande S, Hau M. Inferring Whole-Organism Metabolic Rate From Red Blood Cells in Birds. Front Physiol 2021; 12:691633. [PMID: 34335298 PMCID: PMC8322697 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.691633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic rate is a key ecological variable that quantifies the energy expenditure needed to fuel almost all biological processes in an organism. Metabolic rates are typically measured at the whole-organism level (woMR) with protocols that can elicit stress responses due to handling and confinement, potentially biasing resulting data. Improved, non-stressful methodology would be especially valuable for measures of field metabolic rate, which quantifies the energy expenditure of free-living individuals. Recently, techniques to measure cellular metabolic rate (cMR) in mitochondria of blood cells have become available, suggesting that blood-based cMR can be a proxy of organismal aerobic performance. Aerobic metabolism actually takes place in the mitochondria. Quantifying cMR from blood samples offers several advantages such as direct estimates of metabolism and minimized disturbance of individuals. To our knowledge, the hypothesis that blood-based cMR correlates with woMR has not yet been directly tested. We measured cMR in red blood cells of captive great tits (Parus major), first during their morning activity period and second after subjecting them to a 2.5 h day-time respirometry protocol to quantify woMR. We predicted cMR to decrease as individuals transitioned from an active to a resting state. In the two blood samples we also assessed circulating corticosterone concentrations to determine the perceived disturbance of individuals. From respirometry traces we extracted initial and final woMR measures to test for a predicted positive correlation with cMR measures, while accounting for corticosterone concentrations. Indeed, cMR declined from the first to the second measurement. Furthermore, woMR and cMR were positively related in individuals that had relatively low corticosterone concentrations and displayed little locomotor activity throughout respirometry. By contrast, woMR and cMR covaried negatively in birds that increased corticosterone concentrations and activity levels substantially. Our results show that red blood cell cMR represents a proxy for woMR when birds do not display signs of stress, i.e., either before increases in hormonal or behavioral parameters have occurred or after they have abated. This method represents a valuable tool for obtaining metabolic data repeatedly and in free-living individuals. Our findings also highlight the importance of accounting for individual stress responses when measuring metabolic rate at any level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasja Malkoc
- Research Group for Evolutionary Physiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Stefania Casagrande
- Research Group for Evolutionary Physiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Michaela Hau
- Research Group for Evolutionary Physiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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10
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Di X, Wang D, Zhou J, Zhang L, Stenzel MH, Su QP, Jin D. Quantitatively Monitoring In Situ Mitochondrial Thermal Dynamics by Upconversion Nanoparticles. NANO LETTERS 2021; 21:1651-1658. [PMID: 33550807 PMCID: PMC7908016 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c04281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Temperature dynamics reflect the physiological conditions of cells and organisms. Mitochondria regulate the temperature dynamics in living cells as they oxidize the respiratory substrates and synthesize ATP, with heat being released as a byproduct of active metabolism. Here, we report an upconversion nanoparticle-based thermometer that allows the in situ thermal dynamics monitoring of mitochondria in living cells. We demonstrate that the upconversion nanothermometers can efficiently target mitochondria, and the temperature-responsive feature is independent of probe concentration and medium conditions. The relative sensing sensitivity of 3.2% K-1 in HeLa cells allows us to measure the mitochondrial temperature difference through the stimulations of high glucose, lipid, Ca2+ shock, and the inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation. Moreover, cells display distinct response time and thermodynamic profiles under different stimulations, which highlight the potential applications of this thermometer to study in situ vital processes related to mitochondrial metabolism pathways and interactions between organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangjun Di
- Institute
for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Dejiang Wang
- Institute
for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Jiajia Zhou
- Institute
for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Lin Zhang
- Cluster
for Advanced Macromolecular Design, School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Martina H. Stenzel
- Cluster
for Advanced Macromolecular Design, School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Qian Peter Su
- Institute
for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
- School
of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information
Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Dayong Jin
- Institute
for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
- UTS-SUStech
Joint Research Centre for Biomedical Materials & Devices, Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University
of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China 518055
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11
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Koch RE, Buchanan KL, Casagrande S, Crino O, Dowling DK, Hill GE, Hood WR, McKenzie M, Mariette MM, Noble DWA, Pavlova A, Seebacher F, Sunnucks P, Udino E, White CR, Salin K, Stier A. Integrating Mitochondrial Aerobic Metabolism into Ecology and Evolution. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:321-332. [PMID: 33436278 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Biologists have long appreciated the critical role that energy turnover plays in understanding variation in performance and fitness among individuals. Whole-organism metabolic studies have provided key insights into fundamental ecological and evolutionary processes. However, constraints operating at subcellular levels, such as those operating within the mitochondria, can also play important roles in optimizing metabolism over different energetic demands and time scales. Herein, we explore how mitochondrial aerobic metabolism influences different aspects of organismal performance, such as through changing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. We consider how such insights have advanced our understanding of the mechanisms underpinning key ecological and evolutionary processes, from variation in life-history traits to adaptation to changing thermal conditions, and we highlight key areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Koch
- Monash University, School of Biological Sciences, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| | - Katherine L Buchanan
- Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3228, Australia
| | - Stefania Casagrande
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Evolutionary Physiology Group, Seewiesen, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. Haus 5, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Ondi Crino
- Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3228, Australia
| | - Damian K Dowling
- Monash University, School of Biological Sciences, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Geoffrey E Hill
- Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | - Wendy R Hood
- Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | - Matthew McKenzie
- Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3228, Australia
| | - Mylene M Mariette
- Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3228, Australia
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- The Australian National University, Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Alexandra Pavlova
- Monash University, School of Biological Sciences, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Frank Seebacher
- University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Paul Sunnucks
- Monash University, School of Biological Sciences, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Eve Udino
- Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3228, Australia
| | - Craig R White
- Monash University, School of Biological Sciences, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Karine Salin
- Université de Brest, Ifremer, CNRS, IRD, Laboratory of Environmental Marine Sciences, Plouzané, 29280, France
| | - Antoine Stier
- University of Turku, Department of Biology, Turku, Finland; University of Glasgow, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Glasgow, UK
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12
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Gerber L, Clow KA, Mark FC, Gamperl AK. Improved mitochondrial function in salmon (Salmo salar) following high temperature acclimation suggests that there are cracks in the proverbial 'ceiling'. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21636. [PMID: 33303856 PMCID: PMC7729908 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78519-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial function can provide key insights into how fish will respond to climate change, due to its important role in heart performance, energy metabolism and oxidative stress. However, whether warm acclimation can maintain or improve the energetic status of the fish heart when exposed to short-term heat stress is not well understood. We acclimated Atlantic salmon, a highly aerobic eurythermal species, to 12 and 20 °C, then measured cardiac mitochondrial functionality and integrity at 20 °C and at 24, 26 and 28 °C (this species' critical thermal maximum ± 2 °C). Acclimation to 20 °C vs. 12 °C enhanced many aspects of mitochondrial respiratory capacity and efficiency up to 24 °C, and preserved outer mitochondrial membrane integrity up to 26 °C. Further, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was dramatically decreased at all temperatures. These data suggest that salmon acclimated to 'normal' maximum summer temperatures are capable of surviving all but the most extreme ocean heat waves, and that there is no 'tradeoff' in heart mitochondrial function when Atlantic salmon are acclimated to high temperatures (i.e., increased oxidative phosphorylation does not result in heightened ROS production). This study suggests that fish species may show quite different acclimatory responses when exposed to prolonged high temperatures, and thus, susceptibility to climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Gerber
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, Canada.
| | - Kathy A Clow
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Felix C Mark
- Section Integrative Ecophysiology, Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Anthony K Gamperl
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, Canada
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13
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Milani L, Ghiselli F. Faraway, so close. The comparative method and the potential of non-model animals in mitochondrial research. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 375:20190186. [PMID: 31787048 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Inference from model organisms has been the engine for many discoveries in life science, but indiscriminate generalization leads to oversimplifications and misconceptions. Model organisms and inductive reasoning are irreplaceable: there is no other way to tackle the complexity of living systems. At the same time, it is not advisable to infer general patterns from a restricted number of species, which are very far from being representative of the diversity of life. Not all models are equal. Some organisms are suitable to find similarities across species, other highly specialized organisms can be used to focus on differences. In this opinion piece, we discuss the dominance of the mechanistic/reductionist approach in life sciences and make a case for an enhanced application of the comparative approach to study processes in all their various forms across different organisms. We also enlist some rising animal models in mitochondrial research, to exemplify how non-model organisms can be chosen in a comparative framework. These taxa often do not possess implemented tools and dedicated methods/resources. However, because of specific features, they have the potential to address still unanswered biological questions. Finally, we discuss future perspectives and caveats of the comparative method in the age of 'big data'. This article is part of the theme issue 'Linking the mitochondrial genotype to phenotype: a complex endeavour'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Milani
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Ghiselli
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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McKenzie JL, Chung DJ, Healy TM, Brennan RS, Bryant HJ, Whitehead A, Schulte PM. Mitochondrial Ecophysiology: Assessing the Evolutionary Forces That Shape Mitochondrial Variation. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 59:925-937. [PMID: 31282925 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icz124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The mitonuclear species concept hypothesizes that incompatibilities between interacting gene products of the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes are a major factor establishing and maintaining species boundaries. However, most of the data available to test this concept come from studies of genetic variation in mitochondrial DNA, and clines in the mitochondrial genome across contact zones can be produced by a variety of forces. Here, we show that using a combination of population genomic analyses of the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes and studies of mitochondrial function can provide insight into the relative roles of neutral processes, adaptive evolution, and mitonuclear incompatibility in establishing and maintaining mitochondrial clines, using Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) as a case study. There is strong evidence for a role of secondary contact following the last glaciation in shaping a steep mitochondrial cline across a contact zone between northern and southern subspecies of killifish, but there is also evidence for a role of adaptive evolution in driving differentiation between the subspecies in a variety of traits from the level of the whole organism to the level of mitochondrial function. In addition, studies are beginning to address the potential for mitonuclear incompatibilities in admixed populations. However, population genomic studies have failed to detect evidence for a strong and pervasive influence of mitonuclear incompatibilities, and we suggest that polygenic selection may be responsible for the complex patterns observed. This case study demonstrates that multiple forces can act together in shaping mitochondrial clines, and illustrates the challenge of disentangling their relative roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L McKenzie
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Dillon J Chung
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Timothy M Healy
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Reid S Brennan
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California-Davis, 4138 Meyer Hall, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Heather J Bryant
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Andrew Whitehead
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California-Davis, 4138 Meyer Hall, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Patricia M Schulte
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
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15
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Harada AE, Healy TM, Burton RS. Variation in Thermal Tolerance and Its Relationship to Mitochondrial Function Across Populations of Tigriopus californicus. Front Physiol 2019; 10:213. [PMID: 30930787 PMCID: PMC6429002 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in thermal tolerance plays a key role in determining the biogeographic distribution of organisms. Consequently, identifying the mechanistic basis for thermal tolerance is necessary for understanding not only current species range limits but also the capacity for range limits to shift in response to climate change. Although variation in mitochondrial function likely contributes to variation in thermal tolerance, the extent to which mitochondrial function underlies local thermal adaptation is not fully understood. In the current study, we examine variation in thermal tolerance and mitochondrial function among three populations of the intertidal copepod Tigriopus californicus found across a latitudinal thermal gradient along the coast of California, USA. We tested (1) acute thermal tolerance using survivorship and knockdown assays, (2) chronic thermal tolerance using survivorship of nauplii and developmental rate, and (3) mitochondrial performance at a range of temperatures using ATP synthesis fueled by complexes I, II, and I&II, as well as respiration of permeabilized fibers. We find evidence for latitudinal thermal adaptation: the southernmost San Diego population outperforms the northernmost Santa Cruz in measures of survivorship, knockdown temperature, and ATP synthesis rates during acute thermal exposures. However, under a chronic thermal regime, survivorship and developmental rate are more similar in the southernmost and northernmost population than in the mid-range population (Abalone Cove). Though this pattern is unexpected, it aligns well with population-specific rates of ATP synthesis at these chronic temperatures. Combined with the tight correlation of ATP synthesis decline and knockdown temperature, these data suggest a role for mitochondria in setting thermal range limits and indicate that divergence in mitochondrial function is likely a component of adaptation across latitudinal thermal gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice E Harada
- Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Timothy M Healy
- Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Ronald S Burton
- Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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16
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Hood WR, Austad SN, Bize P, Jimenez AG, Montooth KL, Schulte PM, Scott GR, Sokolova I, Treberg JR, Salin K. The Mitochondrial Contribution to Animal Performance, Adaptation, and Life-History Variation. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 58:480-485. [PMID: 30239783 PMCID: PMC8502431 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals display tremendous variation in their rates of growth, reproductive output, and longevity. While the physiological and molecular mechanisms that underlie this variation remain poorly understood, the performance of the mitochondrion has emerged as a key player. Mitochondria not only impact the performance of eukaryotes via their capacity to produce ATP, but they also play a role in producing heat and reactive oxygen species and function as a major signaling hub for the cell. The papers included in this special issue emerged from a symposium titled "Inside the Black Box: The Mitochondrial Basis of Life-history Variation and Animal Performance." Based on studies of diverse animal taxa, three distinct themes emerged from these papers. (1) When linking mitochondrial function to components of fitness, it is crucial that mitochondrial assays are performed in conditions as close as the intracellular conditions experienced by the mitochondria in vivo. (2) Functional plasticity allows mitochondria to retain their performance, as well as that of their host, over a range of exogenous conditions, and selection on mitochondrial and nuclear-derived proteins can optimize the match between the environment and the bioenergetic capacity of the mitochondrion. Finally, (3) studies of wild and wild-derived animals suggest that mitochondria play a central role in animal performance and life history strategy. Taken as a whole, we hope that these papers will foster discussion and inspire new hypotheses and innovations that will further our understanding of the mitochondrial processes that underlie variation in life history traits and animal performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy R Hood
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, AL 36849, USA
| | - Steven N Austad
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170, USA
| | - Pierre Bize
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Ana Gabriela Jimenez
- Department of Biology, Colgate University, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346, USA
| | - Kristi L Montooth
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Patricia M Schulte
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4
| | - Graham R Scott
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4K1
| | - Inna Sokolova
- Department of Marine Biology, Institute for Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock 18055, Germany.,Department of the Maritime Systems, Interdisciplinary Faculty, University of Rostock, Rostock 18055, Germany
| | - Jason R Treberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2.,Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2.,Centre on Aging, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2
| | - Karine Salin
- Ifremer, Unité de Physiologie Fonctionnelle des Organismes Marins-LEMAR UMR 6530, Plouzané 29280, France
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